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XL-Rock Large-Volume Rotary Sidewall Coring Service

XL-Rock large-volume rotary sidewall coring service closes the gap between core plugs from continuous conventional core and wireline-conveyed rotary sidewall cores by retrieving up to fifty 1.5-in-OD by 2.5-in-long sidewall core samples in a single descent. These large-volume core samples deliver a rock volume equivalent to conventional core plugs, matching the industry’s standard sample size for routine (RCAL) and most special core analysis (SCAL) measurements with delivery in less time and at lower cost than conventional coring.

Three times the volume

At more than 3 times the rock volume of standard 0.92-in-diameter sidewall cores, XL-Rock service’s sidewall core samples recover a sufficient volume of rock to extract three triaxial minicores for full analysis of completion quality, which previously required conventional coring.

Expanded functionality and safety

New, rugged electronics provide additional capabilities in retrieving the larger rock samples. Compatibility with the latest telemetry systems accesses features previously reserved for sophisticated logging toolstrings. Physical drilling parameters, such as weight on bit, are under real-time control to ensure that XL‑Rock service is coring at the optimal settings for every core point.

Operational risk is greatly reduced for XL-Rock service. Not only is it the shortest rotary sidewall coring tool in the market today, at only 37 ft in length, but the shaft attached to the core bit has a special built-in safety feature to enable controlled release of the core bit if the bit becomes stuck in the formation. Compatibility with the electrically control release devide (ECRD) also greatly increases the amount of pull allowed on the wireline cable, further reducing the chance of a stuck tool.

Reliable recovery, range, and conveyance

Powered by an in-house hydraulic motor, XL-Rock service efficiently recovers high-quality cores across a wide variety of lithologies, from hard, brittle igneous rocks to friable sandstones, carbonates, and shale plays. Run in combination with our engineered cables, XL-Rock service can be deployed on wireline cables as long as 40,000 ft. Combinability with a tension-compression sub enables conveyance also on drillpipe.